Hello all,
I've been using IPBX/PIAF for as long as I can remember and following Ward's NV blog since ~2010-2011 - thank you Ward for all your hard work and for everything you've done for the community.
In all these years though, with all the different editions, releases, updates and flavours of various PBX's I've never been this confused about what is currently being offered.
Specifically, by 3CX.
In October 2016 a free version was released - great!
Limited SIP trunks and limited extensions - OK this was clear, understood.
Soon after is when the confusion started... Between:
- The various sign up links here, on NV and the 3CX site itself
- The NV reader only offer last month and having to guess what is included and what isn't.
- The super ambiguous sales e-mails from 3CX (I think?) - "$289 license for FREE" - which one? What comes with it? Where do I claim?
- The many threads on this forum discussing which link gets you which license
- This license is perpetual
- That license has maintenance
- This other one is the pro edition but only for one year?
- 2 or 4 G729 channels?
- Unlimited SIP trunks or 1 SIP trunk?
- Is it Free or Standard?
- 4 or 8 simultaneous calls?
Basically, you've all done my head in.
Could someone please explain - as if I was 5 years old - what the difference between all these "free" offerings are?
I realise the free version is supposed to entice us towards a paid license - which FYI, I don't mind paying for at all - but I'd really like to know what I'm getting first.
BONUS QUESTIONS - to help negate all ambiguity:
I've been using IPBX/PIAF for as long as I can remember and following Ward's NV blog since ~2010-2011 - thank you Ward for all your hard work and for everything you've done for the community.
In all these years though, with all the different editions, releases, updates and flavours of various PBX's I've never been this confused about what is currently being offered.
Specifically, by 3CX.
In October 2016 a free version was released - great!
Limited SIP trunks and limited extensions - OK this was clear, understood.
Soon after is when the confusion started... Between:
- The various sign up links here, on NV and the 3CX site itself
- The NV reader only offer last month and having to guess what is included and what isn't.
- The super ambiguous sales e-mails from 3CX (I think?) - "$289 license for FREE" - which one? What comes with it? Where do I claim?
- The many threads on this forum discussing which link gets you which license
- This license is perpetual
- That license has maintenance
- This other one is the pro edition but only for one year?
- 2 or 4 G729 channels?
- Unlimited SIP trunks or 1 SIP trunk?
- Is it Free or Standard?
- 4 or 8 simultaneous calls?
Basically, you've all done my head in.
Could someone please explain - as if I was 5 years old - what the difference between all these "free" offerings are?
I realise the free version is supposed to entice us towards a paid license - which FYI, I don't mind paying for at all - but I'd really like to know what I'm getting first.
BONUS QUESTIONS - to help negate all ambiguity:
- If/when I wanted to, could I upgrade my "free" license to a paid one without having to rebuild/re-configure my/client's server?
- Can I use my own domain with one of these "free" licenses? If I'm not mistaken, only if I provide my own certificate? What about Let's Encrypt?
- I've installed 3CX using a "free" license for testing/evaluation purposes, can I change the FQDN?